FMV 10

Chapter 10

For children who grew up essentially as orphans, there was no such thing as a choice.

Their fate was often determined by who came to take them away when they were young.

Unfortunately, the orphanage where Elize had grown up……

“You must know about it too. The worst assassin organization in the history of the Arianthon Empire. ‘Johnny Walker.’”

It was a place that raised children who would eventually work for Johnny Walker, known as the worst assassin organization in the history of the Arianthon Empire.

Of course, they didn’t make young children actually take human lives.

But they were forced to go right up to that point.

And that experience had stripped Elize of every emotion she possessed.

She had brainwashed herself into believing that if it meant not going hungry or avoiding being beaten, she had to do anything necessary.

But ultimately, wasn’t that a life more suited to a beast than a human?

It was while she was drowning in such doubts that Esit, Ian, and Leonhardt appeared before her.

That was why she wanted to believe them even more.

She wanted to believe the three people who had saved her from that hell.

Without realizing that this place was an even greater hell.

Come to think of it, in the execution by burning that I saw in my prophetic dream…….

Elize remembered a familiar face among the crowd that had gathered for her execution and slightly furrowed her brow.

Then she turned her attention back to Bell.

“S-Save me……”

“Hmm. What should I do with you?”

Elize had already beaten Bell thoroughly enough that she was incapable of resisting.

She tied Bell’s body tightly.

Then she sighed, genuinely pondering what to do.

If I let her live, she’ll become a problem later.

Defending herself against someone who had tried to kill her was easy enough.

But completely harming another person was an entirely different matter.

Even though she knew that keeping Bell alive would undoubtedly cause trouble in the future, Elize bit her lip, unable to decide what to do.

“Why are you hesitating, Elize?”

At that moment, Damian appeared behind her in a flash of blue magical light.

Apparently, the signal had reached him after he sensed that Elize was in danger.

He looked back and forth between Bell, who was covered in bruises, and Elize’s clenched fist with an amused expression before speaking.

“You shouldn’t leave resentment behind.”

“……I know.”

She lowered her head and answered quietly.

Understanding Elize’s feelings, Damian immediately continued.

“I don’t want to see you struggling. Don’t dirty your hands, Elize.”

“I already beat her until the dust practically came flying out of her.”

Damian looked at her lovingly as she answered with wide, innocent eyes.

With a strange, heart-tugging sensation, Damian took out a clean handkerchief and slowly wiped Elize’s fist.

“I told you. Use me.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“Leave that to your imagination.”

A sharp fang appeared between his lips as he grinned.

Strangely, the sight of him gradually calmed the turmoil in her heart.

Having made up her mind, Elize coldly turned away without looking at Bell any longer.

“Go wait in my room.”

“Yes.”

“Ah, no! Lady Elize! Saintess!”

So she was trying to kill me as an evil woman, and now she’s begging me to save her.

A wave of exhaustion suddenly washed over Elize.

Human beings were starting to disgust her to the point that she found their very existence revolting.

She dragged her exhausted body toward her room and, as soon as she arrived, immediately brewed herself some warm tea.

As the refreshing aroma began filling the room, the dizziness seemed to fade a little.

Elize poured the tea into a cup and drank it without even waiting for it to cool.

The hot liquid flowed down her throat.

She wanted to take a bath as well, but there was no maid left to prepare the bathwater for her.

“……I should find a maid soon.”

“There’s no need.”

“……Damian.”

Elize’s head quickly turned toward him.

He had somehow already entered the room.

Damian shrugged.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t kill her. I had her imprisoned in the underground dungeon of the Deblen Empire. Someday, she needs to learn the truth too, doesn’t she?”

At his words, Elize nodded slightly.

Having the truth she believed in collapse and being betrayed by someone she trusted would probably be a punishment heavier than anything else for Bell.

“Thank you. And thank you for coming so quickly, too.”

“It was something I chose to do, so you don’t need to thank me. And you don’t need to find a maid, either.”

“I don’t?”

Elize asked in confusion.

“Greetings, Lady Elize.”

At that moment, a black figure suddenly dropped down in front of her.

“Ah! You startled me……!”

“My name is Ceria. I am from the Arianthon Empire. I have thoroughly cleaned out that maid’s quarters. I will organize the documents and have them stored in the Deblen Empire.”

The woman who introduced herself as Ceria explained everything clearly and efficiently.

When she lowered the black mask she had been wearing, mysterious blue hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

“Oh, thank you. You’re from the Arianthon Empire?”

“Yes. His Highness the Crown Prince took me in when I was an orphan.”

“The guard I mentioned earlier. She’s highly skilled, and she has experience working for nobles, so she’ll have no trouble serving you. However……”

Damian looked into Elize’s eyes with concern.

“I don’t know what that suspicious bastard might sniff out.”

He shook his head as he recalled Esit’s black hair and dark complexion.

“If that’s the concern, don’t worry.”

Elize smiled faintly and shrugged.

“Ceria, from today onward, you’re going to be my orphanage classmate.”

“My…… orphanage classmate?”

“Bell was kidnapped. And the culprit was……”

Her gaze slowly shifted toward Damian.

“Damian.”

“Good. So how exactly do you want to use me?”

“Esit already knows that I met you at the Imperial Palace.”

“Oh?”

“I’ll say that you threatened me into meeting you. The threat was Bell’s life, and your condition was that I break up with Leonhardt.”

“This is getting more and more interesting.”

Damian approached the window with an excited expression, as though he couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

Soon, his eyes narrowed.

“He’s coming at just the right time.”

Leonhardt could be seen riding toward the temple from the entrance.

Elize quickly went and stood beside Damian.

Just as he had said, Leonhardt was approaching.

The corners of her lips rose diagonally.

“Looks like it’s going to rain.”

“……Rain?”

The sky beyond the window was covered with thick storm clouds.

It looked gloomy, as though raindrops could begin falling at any moment.

“Then that’s even better……”

“So the plan is over now?”

“Hm?”

“I’m leaving.”

Damian gave her a small wave and disappeared from before her eyes.

Elize stared blankly at the empty space he had left behind.

That was already the second time he had simply disappeared like this.

For some reason, she felt her chest simmering with irritation, and her brows furrowed slightly.

“What should we do about that man?”

Ceria glanced toward Leonhardt, who was already standing at the entrance of the temple.

Right then, raindrops began falling with a soft patter.

Unfortunately, there was no roof over the temple entrance.

“Hm. First, Ceria, go change into a maid’s uniform and ask Leonhardt to wait for a moment.”

“Yes, understood.”

“And you can take your time changing. Take a very long time.”

A sly smile appeared on Elize’s lips.

Ceria immediately understood what Elize meant and left the room.

Elize continued staring outside as the wind and rain began to intensify.

Apparently, Leonhardt hadn’t even had time to bring an umbrella with him.

He stood perfectly straight, taking the full force of the rain and wind.

He must be desperate to hold on to me somehow.

He wasn’t obsessive about cleanliness like Damian, but he cared quite a lot about his appearance.

But this was the time for him to look miserable.

Even if I have to use the method he hates most.

Her expression became even colder.

That’s the only way I can get him to put me on the pyre.

Just look at this gallant man who was willing to do anything to achieve his grand ambitions.

His appearance was so disgusting that it made her blood boil.

Elize let out a mocking laugh and slowly began walking toward the entrance.

As she entered the temple lobby, she heard the ticking of the large wall clock in the center.

Listening to the steady ticking as though it were classical music, she descended the stairs extremely slowly.

After some time had passed—

“……Leon.”

The entrance door suddenly burst open.

“Lady Elize……!”

Leonhardt cautiously approached Elize, looking like a completely drenched rat.

“I was wrong about everything. Please, could you give me just one more chance……?”

His voice trailed off pitifully as he gave her a sorrowful expression.

“Leon……!”

But Elize simply wrapped her arms around his neck, tears glistening in her eyes.

At that exact moment, thunder roared, and lightning struck above the temple.

The shadows of the trees planted around the temple formed the shape of wings behind Elize.

The Saintess, now appearing to have black wings like a fallen angel, wore an evil smile across her otherwise holy face.